One aspect of modern life is the increasing use of computers in the home and in the office. It is common for people to spend long periods of time entering information into a computer via a keyboard and mouse or surfing the Internet looking for information. At a typical computer workstation, the keyboard is located near the front edge of the desk or other work surface and a mouse is ordinarily positioned adjacent the keyboard as an auxiliary input device to move a cursor around a computer screen. Traditionally, the user sits in front of the keyboard and mouse as the computer is utilized for work, play or for gathering general information. While a user may often use the computer for hours at a time the user may also use the computer intermittently to perform specific tasks coming to and from the computer many times throughout the day.
The computer mouse mentioned above is a typical device used to aid the processing of information in a computer. Computer users typically use a mouse in combination with the computer keyboard. The computer mouse is normally operated on a flat work top surface that provides both the necessary space to maneuver the mouse and, in the case of a tracking ball type mouse, provides sufficient friction so that the tracking ball rotates appropriately as the mouse is navigated across the operating surface.
One of the problems associated with the use of a keyboard and mouse is the need to comfortably position the user's wrist and arm during operation. As the user positions their hands for typing on the keyboard or for utilizing the mouse, it is common that either their wrist or a portion of their forearm will end up resting on the sharp edge of the desk. Similarly, in the case of a laptop computer that incorporates a touchpad the user's wrist or forearm will tend to rest on the edge of the computer keyboard. This causes the wrist to be held at an awkward angle and, in combination with the pressure exerted on the wrist or forearm by the edge of the desk or laptop surface, together with the extensive periods of time the computer may be used, may lead to repetitive stress injuries to the wrist and forearm such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Although it may be possible to smooth or round the edge of the desk, this normally requires significant skill and would substantially reduce the aesthetic appearance of the furniture on which the computer is placed.
Various devices have been provided in the prior art in an attempt to address this growing problem. While all of these devices are available on the market, existing medical and ergonomic literature does not address the kinesiology of motion in the operation of computer input devices that apply muscular skeletal forces in multiple directions and often with the result of opposing physiological forces. For example, lifting the wrist causes contraction on the top of the wrist and elongation on the underside thereof. Repetitive compound motion of the hand and the wrist of the user of a computer input device, such as a mouse, can cause muscular skeletal tension. In the case of operators of a computer mouse specifically the index finger and associated muscles and tendons are holding the mouse button, while at the same time, the hand, thumb and other fingers are holding and causing the mouse to move. This latter motion also impacts the wrist and forearm that must twist on an axis to maintain pressure on the mouse and complete the desired action. A number of products exist, such as devices, which are strapped to the user's wrist. While said strap-on wrist supports are presumably adequate for the athletic uses they re intended, they remain ineffective in the slight and sometimes tedious movements required in computer mouse manipulation.
Devices have included wrist supports that are strapped to the user's wrist and forearm, keyboard trays that incorporate a wrist rest, gel-filled or bead-filled pillows that are positioned adjacent the keyboard or mouse, and a concave arm rest that can clamp onto the edge of a desk and provide a resting place for the user's arm. A number of these previously known devices tend to shift position relative to the keyboard of mouse over time and thereby exacerbate the problem.
The Wrist support will be the first on-the-go wrist support pad made unlike your common mouse pad that remains at your desk. The Wrist support is the first real on-the-go wrist support pad that allows support and comfort to go with you. The development and idea came when I heard my mother suffering from a bad case of CTS known as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. So, after some researching about CTS I discovered that it is very common among many people, especially those who use computers, laptops, gaming, etc. I reflected on my days as a personal trainer when my clients and I needed to wrap our wrists for support during workouts. Now that I work on computers for a long period of time, I noticed that my wrist began to hurt so I wrapped my wrist as I did when I trained and it helped, also while using my desk pad to elevate my wrist. Then the idea came to me . . . is there a wrist support pad out there of this nature? I went to the web and found a million and one mouse pads and funny looking gloves, which I tried and had to return due to its ineffectiveness. I then began to design my idea of a wrist support pad that stays with you giving your wrist the cushion and support it needs during repetitive computer use. Thus, “The Wrist Support”—support your wrist.